Details
Region: Northern Oregon Coast
Location: Ecola State Park Road, Cannon Beach, Oregon 97110
DEN Rating: 9/10
Trail Length: varies
Trail Type: loop, out and back, and through hike
Hike Time: varies
Trail Difficulty: moderate to difficult
Elevation Gain: varies
Trail Surface: dirt and rocks
Popularity: 8/10
Family friendly: yes
Pet friendly: yes
Handicapped Accessible: no
Swimming: no
Camping: no
Restroom: flush toilets
Open Hours: day use only (7AM to dusk) except the backpack camping area.
Season: year-round
Pass or Permit: $5 day use fee (payable at entrance gate) or Oregon State Parks pass
Managed By: Oregon State Parks
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Ecola State Park on the dazzling Northern Oregon Coast preserves a gorgeous nine-mile stretch of coastal forest and features fabulous viewpoints and two incredible beaches, with miles of hiking trails including an 8-mile stretch of the Oregon Coast Trail. The coastline in the park is one of the prettiest you will find anywhere on earth. Ecola State Park is definitely one of my top ten favorite Oregon State Parks and includes possibly the best beach in the entire state. If all that isn’t enough, set jetters will recognize a few spots in Ecola as filming locations for the most famous movie ever shot in Oregon…the movie that shaped my childhood, The Goonies!
The sun hits the break in the clouds just before reaching the horizon. I had the entire beach to myself as I waited for this dramatic moment to unfold at Ecola State Park’s Crescent Beach.
A Momentary Breakthrough
The glowing orange sun shines through a break in the clouds just above the horizon at Crescent Beach in Ecola State Park, Oregon – a defiantly bright spot in the otherwise cool and gentle evening. I clambered up the side of a big monolith at the back of the beach to capture the scene with … Read more
Ecola State Park has two developed areas connected by both road and trails. The road enters the park at the south end and heads north past Ecola Point, eventually ending at Indian Beach. Ecola Point, the first of the two developed areas, includes a large parking area with paved trails leading to views of Tillamook Lighthouse (aka “Terrible Tilly”) perched on an offshore rock, plus the most iconic Oregon Coast view there is, which looks south over Crescent Beach to Cannon Beach and Neahkahnie Mountain in the distance. Roosevelt Elk are common here, often seen grazing in the grass and brush. There are flush toilets here as well as the pay station for the park.
Crescent Beach is the park’s secret weapon. A 1.25 mile moderately difficult trail leads from Ecola Point down to this absolutely fantastic beach on the south side of the point. The length and steeper sections on the trail prohibit many from hiking this trail, which means those who make the trek are rewarded with a mile-long beach that they don’t have to share. I’ve never seen this beach busy, and normally it’s almost completely empty even on the nicest days. The north end of the beach has a little waterfall past a really cool rock with a little tree growing from it followed by some sea caves. At low tides there are a few tide pools around the bases of the big rocks on the beach.
Indian Beach is the vastly more well-known of the two beaches in the park. The park road ends at the beach, which is popular for surfing and has tidepools as well. Indian Beach is very scenic but it gets so busy at times that it’s hard to find your own patch of sand. If you’re looking for that secluded beach where it’s just you and the waves, you went a few miles too far down the road. Vault toilets are available at the Indian Beach parking area.
The forest trails and the views they harbor are really outstanding. The forest here is exceptionally pretty, with a lush and very dense understory that stays green year round due to the large variety of evergreen plants. I’ve seen some really unusual plants here, including strange little mauve-colored orchids covered in tiny hairs. The trails become increasingly challenging the further into the park you go. The easiest section of the Coast trail is the one from the entrance gate to Ecola Point (with the spur trail down to Crescent Beach), followed by the section between Ecola Point and Indian Beach. The Clatsop Loop trail combines the section from Indian Beach to the Hiker’s Camp with another difficult trail which was used by the Lewis & Clark Party when they surveyed the area in March 1806. From the Hiker’s Camp the Oregon Coast Trail climbs up, crosses the top of Tillamook Head, then descends and eventually emerges at the south end of nearby Seaside.
A young elk grazes on spring grass at Ecola Point.
Elk at Ecola
Elk are common along the northern Oregon Coast. This one was part of a herd grazing on the fresh spring grass at Ecola Point on a calm early spring afternoon. Many in the herd, like this one, were older juveniles. Clearly they are used to people because they were just calmly enjoying their lunch despite … Read more
For Goonies fans, Ecola is an absolute must. You’ll recognize the park road itself:
“Hey is that Brand?”
“Like the bike…”
“No wonder he can’t get a license.”
And Ecola Point:
“The lighthouse, the rock, and the restaurant all fit to doubloon. That must mean the rich stuff is near the restaurant.”
The building used as the exterior of the Fratelli’s hideout once stood on the north side of the parking area about halfway down. It was deteriorating when it was used in the film, and was removed a few years after filming. Look around a bit and you can visualize where it used to be. The big driftwood logs on the point where the boys hung out while watching the Fratellis are still there in basically the same places they were in the film, although another 40 years of weathering have further deteriorated them.
This little shore pine which stands above Crescent Beach has been sculpted by coastal wind for decades into a handsome form.
Lone Pine
I’ve photographed the sun setting behind this intricately sculpted little shore pine in Ecola State Park several times because it is just so ridiculously picturesque. Getting to this spot involves a bit of clambering up an eroding slope and along a little ridgeline path to get the right angle. This is one of my first … Read more
Ecola State Park is just beautiful. It’s popularity is well-deserved, although the park does offer plenty of places to get away from crowds. I honestly cannot talk up Crescent Beach enough, and Indian Beach is busy for good reason. If you’re heading to the Cannon Beach / Seaside area please spend a few hours in this splended Oregon State Park, you will be glad you did!
The view looking south from Ecola Point is perhaps the most iconic of all Oregon Coast views.
Cautions
Risks vary depending on what you are doing in the park. The Pacific Ocean is very cold year-round. Wetsuits are basically required to surf in Oregon. Sneaker waves and shifting tide levels are always a possibility so keep an eye on the water when you’re at the beach. Be careful climbing on rocks on the beach, both due to falling and due to marine life living and growing on rock surfaces. There are a few dropoffs at trailside viewpoints and some steep spots, muddy patches, and exposed tree roots on trails. The wind can get strong at exposed areas on points and capes. Keep an eye out for deer and elk while driving in the area and give these animals lots of space.
Getting There
From Portland, Seaside, and points north: Approach Cannon Beach by traveling south on US-101. Take the first Cannon Beach exit on the right. At the first stop, take a soft right onto 5th Street (do not go across the bridge). In 0.1 miles take a soft right onto Ecola Park Rd and follow it into the park.
From Tillamook and points south: Approach Cannon Beach by traveling north on US-101. Take the second Cannon Beach exit, go around the loop and underpass, and continue for 0.4 miles. Turn right onto Hemlock Street and continue for a few miles through the famous coastal hamlet of Cannon Beach. Once you’re through the little downtown the road will zigzag a few times, becoming a different street with each turn. Just follow the main road. Once over the little bridge turn left onto 5th Street, followed by a right turn onto Ecola Park Rd which continues into the park.
Photographer’s Tip
An entire calendar could easily be created just of Crescent Beach. You really couldn’t ask for a more photogenic place, with great shots to be found year-round. The south view from Ecola Point is iconic. You’ll want a zoom lens and tripod to get a good shot of Terrible Tilly.
Links
https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=park.profile&parkId=136
https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/oregon/ecola-state-park
https://www.cannonbeach.org/things-to-do/beaches-and-parks/ecola-state-park
